Order in Music

By definition order is:

a methodical
arrangement
of things.

It could also be defined as a proper arrangement.
You could also say that it is similar to harmony
or symmetry.




"Good order is the foundation of all good things"
Burke

We can see that order is something God takes very seriously. We can see that from the story of Nadab and Abihu. We can also see order in God's creation or from His commands for order in His church. Order is something that is pleasing to God and is good. If we want our worship to be pleasing to God, then order should be a part of it.

2 Chronicles 5:13 says:
"Indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord saying:

'For He is good For His mercy endures forever'

that the house the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud"

Notice, the trumpeters and singers were as one and made one sound. Also, the word voice is singular not plural. This verse is a clear example of order in thanking and praising God. To have multiple voices as one, takes a great deal of order and effort. The singers and trumpeters desire was for God to be glorified through their worship.

Psalm 92:3 says:
"On an instrument of ten strings,
On the lute,
And on the harp,
With harmonious sound."

How do you make harmonious sound? By being unskilled and putting no effort into it?
Of course you wouldn't. That would make some type of sound but I doubt it would be harmonious. In order to make a harmonious sound, order and effort would be involved. That would be expressed in practicing with the goal of glorifying God. As well as having everything properly arranged.

Let's think about this. Worship is an act of reverence. If worship to God is not done well, then obviously no effort was put into it. If no effort was involved, then the person who offered the worship does not show reverence for Whom the worship was offered to. What a terrifying thought!!!

I'll end with this verse and thought.

1 Chronicles 25:7
"So the number of them, with their
brethren who were instructed in the songs
of the Lord, all who were skillful, was
two hundred and eighty-eight."

Music being done by skillful musicians was and still is very important in worship. So important, that 288 musicians were trained just for that purpose. It seems to me that if it was that important to the Israelites, then it should be just as or even more important for us now.

The Importance of Order in Worship

Leviticus 10:1-3

"Now Nadab and Abihu , the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the Lord spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored" So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.

In this passage we see two sons of Aaron being immolated for not obeying God’s instruction for offering incense. Verse one says they offered “strange fire before the Lord.” The fire that they offered was not permitted by God and it was offensive to God. It was offensive to Him because they did not regard Him as holy and obey His commands. In verse three God commands that He be regarded as holy and glorified before all people.

I believe that we can use this brief narrative as a reference to see how serious we should take worshiping God. Nadab and Abihu did not take it seriously enough and were punished severely for it. By definition, worship is an act of reverence. So when we worship God with music, we should do so with reverence. In order for our worship to be pleasing to God it must have the following three characteristics. It must be done orderly, specifically, and harmoniously. I will go deeper into each subject in following posts, but for now I would like to just do an introduction to the “orderly” aspect.

If we worship God using music and put relatively no effort into it, would it be pleasing to God? OF COURSE NOT! It would be like telling a king that you would make him a beautiful crown, and throw it together the night before and then hand him a paper hat! The king would be disgusted with it. That is similar to putting no effort into worship for God. God would be displeased with it.

Let’s go back to the king analogy for a minute. Now, if you promised the king a beautiful crown and put all your possible effort into it and then gave it to him. And he knew the amount of effort involved, and then he would be more pleased than with the paper hat. That is the same as if we put all of our effort into music for God.

When all three of the characteristics are present and we have put all of our effort into it. Then it would be pleasing to God. The music with no effort would be like the “strange fire” that Nadab and Abihu offered to God. So now I ask this. What kind of fire do you want to present before the Lord? A “strange fire” or a pleasing one?